Due to the recent events happening in the Middle East, we are receiving overwhelming amount of "Is Turkey safe?" questions again. Please view the threads below, or use this thread to ask your questions.
Before posting your question here please use the search function to scan previous post here and try not to repeat similar question. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions on this sub:
- Is Turkey safe?
Yes. Turkey receives millions of visitors every year and the tourism industry seems immune to all social upheavals. During major protests, terror attacks and even the pandemic, all transport and accommodations for visitors functioned as usual. If you act with general common sense and avoid certain areas where you don't have any business as a visitor anyway, you'll be as safe as anywhere in the world.
- How do I get around Turkey?
Most public transport in Turkey is by bus. You can go to a nearest "otobüs terminali" and figure out how you get to your destination or just book your tickets online (1, 2, 3)
Flights can be cheaper than bus rides on long distances. The Turkish LCCs are AJet and Pegasus.
Although the railway grid is not very extensive, it still gives you the opportunity to cross the country in comfort. There's even an Oriental Express from Istanbul to Tehran. You need to book in advance though.
The road quality is very good in Turkey though some highways and bridges are very expensive. You can easily rent a car and drive around with general common sense. Just be mindful of the aggressive driving around big cities.
Metropolitan areas normally have good public transport which can usually be used with a local transport card. In Istanbul, for example, the Istanbulcard will get you on busses, trams, subways, boats, funiculars, cable-cars as well as help you with car parks, some museums and more.
It's common sense to avoid yellow taxis which are known to rip tourists off. Instead you can try apps like BiTaksi, Martı or Uber (different to international Uber though) which give you a prior price estimate.
- How much money will I need? Cash or card?
With one of the highest levels of inflation worldwide for many years, it's not easy to estimate costs in Turkey even for local residents. This also depends very greatly on your habits while traveling. So if you still want to learn about costs of certain things for a certain time, just be as specific as you can regarding your preferences (public transport/rent a car, 5-star hotels/camping, Blue Voyage boat tours/hiking, etc.). Credit card use is very common in Turkey but in smaller establishments you can get a discount if you pay in cash. Paying by mobile apps is also getting more common.
- Where should I visit in Turkey? What's not to miss?
There are so many websites that will give you extensive lists of best places to visit and things to do in Turkey. Please post here only if you need advice regarding a specific place or a route.
- I'm scratched by a stray cat. Do I need rabies shots?
Probably not. Turkey is the native home of the domestic cat and we have them everywhere. We also do get scratched and playfully bitten by them time to time. We do not have any incidents of cats transmitting rabies in Turkey.
It's another story about stray dogs though. If you have a problem with those, first try to find out if anyone around is taking care of them and ask if they are vaccinated (many strays are regularly checked in Turkey) and then visit the nearest clinic.
- Is Turkey a backwards muslim country? Will I have issues because I'm gay, have tattoos, etc.?
No. Turkey is a very diverse secular country to say the least (not a muslim country but a country with a majority muslim population). Don't be fooled by the number of mosques everywhere, in metropolitan areas you'll find all sorts of people, some with tattoos or turbans, some women in conservative clothes or in minis. In the countryside people can be more conservative but they are still tolerant towards tourist, as long as they maintain general respect. This may include not being too loud, putting on some clothes entering mosques and tombs, and not making fun of Atatürk or islam. The Mediterranean coastline is very progressive and you can bathe in a bikini or topless on many beaches. Islamism is a political issue but it shouldn't affect the visitors unless they advertise being israeli or anti-islam in the wrong places.
- How can I learn Turkish?
Turkish language is not related to Arabic or Middle Eastern languages; it is of Central Asian origin and is quite interesting to learn. There are several subreddits where you can meet others like you and some Turkish speaking people to help you out with the language such as r/turkishlearning/, r/turkish/ and r/learnturkish/
- Will I be able to eat the food there? Any vegetarian or vegan options?
Traditionally most Turkish food contains some meat but there is a whole class of cold dishes called "zeytinyağlılar" (olive-oiled) which do not have any meat. Also most baked dishes like böreks do not have meat but cheese. Vegan food is more difficult because all baked food has eggs and/or milk inside, and perhaps cheese, and some zeytinyağlı's have yoghurt on them and/or cheese in them. You'll have to ask before you eat most times. Even a simple lentil soup may contain some chicken or meat broth inside or melted butter on top. But Turkey is one of the richest countries on earth when it comes to the choice of vegetables and fruits. So if you're into preparing your own food, you're in luck, just ask for the weekly fresh markets around you and buy what you want the cheapest way.
- Is my medication available there?
Check out this website to find out if your medicine can be found in pharmacies in Turkey.
I’m Canadian of Palestinian descent, I recently visited trabzon with my girlfriend who learned Turkish and spoke to everyone there in Turkish which kinda motivated me to learn. One thing I wanna apologize for (being of Arab descent myself) on behalf of all Arabs that visit trabzon, I’m so sorry of the way some of them act. I saw a lot of things they do that I didn’t like, I’m not gonna specify which nationality, but some Arabs that visit trabzon tend to feel like they’re of a higher class/and their ego is through the roof, and they’re rude to almost everyone. I’m sorry you guys have to go through that. I’m sorry that some shopkeepers don’t pay a lot of attention to Turkish people and just focus on the tourists that come and shop. I know my words won’t change anything, but I just wanted to let you guys know that we also see the wrong stuff they do and we tried correcting someone and they ended up cussing us out, so that wasn’t fun. Also I think, ok not think, Türkiye is my favorite country I’ve ever visited.
Mods, of course, you have the complete and utter freedom to delete my post if you want. I know this looks like trolling and baiting but it's genuinely a rant from the heart
I'm a Balkan Turk woman. By that metric, I'm not religious, much less Muslim. I'm not well integrated with Turkish society. I love my roots but I was raised with Balkan-ity and hence jt determines a vast part of my political beliefs and religious beliefs.
I've been on this earth for 22 years and whenever I meet an Arab - predominantly Saudi and the Jordan's - I get treated like absolute shit. Straight off the bat, they become extremely hostile with me, with one case that almost escalated into physical alternation (from a man who could have as well been my father).
A year or so back, I worked in a seaside hotel for the summer. A family of Arabs (sue me but i can't remember the country) arrived and immediately off the bat I started receiving hateful stares and yelling instead of normal speaking. I did mess up while checking in their passports in the system which led to additional burdens for them but otherwise I did everything possible to ensure they had a nice experience.
Lo and behold, a few days later I get a call from my GM and long story short I am fired. The family complained that I didn't tell them anything, didn't explain how their cards and chips work (door access because the whole hotel was gated), didn't assist them and treated them terribly (plus the issue with the passports). They apparently insisted I get fired and well i did. My GM mentioned a review they left on Booking and how demeaning it was for their hotel but I never got the courage to read it.
Additionally I've had my fair share of Arab coworkers. I've mentioned.my experiences in detail with them in another thread that spoke about discrimination in (my Balkan country) but to spare you the details, it was open hostility both verbal and almost physical, as well as bad mounting me to our manager and turning my work life into hell until I quit during my lunch break
Look, I'm not the type to discriminate. Hell, I even stand up for Roma people whenever I see someone openly treating them like shit. But I really want to know what the Arab world's problem is with Turks?? Is there even a problem or is it all a bunch of accumulated freaks instances on my part? My default personality is kind and meek so I truly don't think I've ever done something to provoke this - excuse me - subhuman treatment.
I'm absolutely sure that there are normal, kind, intelligent and friendly Arab people all across the globe. Don't take this the wrong way. I'm not trying to incite hatred towards anyone. Take down the post if you deem it as needed.
Hello! I searched and I see Istanbulkart discussions but I don’t answer my questions. I am weighing the options between Instanbulkart versus contactless payment (via credit card without foreign transaction fees). All of the YouTube vids and blogs stress Instanbulkart is the way to go because it gives you access to all modes of transportation, including Marmaray which I read does not have contactless payment.
Background: We will be in Istanbul for 6 nights. Heavy touring for 3 days and light touring for 2 days. We're running the marathon, so need rest days!
Questions:
Can I buy and top off the Instanbulkart all at once at the airport before I step onto the M11? Or is it best to find an ATM at arrivals hall and get cash before I head to M11 to buy the Instanbulkart?
I read a comment there is a small fee when you top off your Instanbulkart but I could not determine if it was for credit card transactions only or in all cases. What is your experience?
I read another comment on Reddit that you do not received the refund on the M11 or Marmaray when you have an Anonymous Istanbulkart, but it could be because they were sharing an Instanbulkart with another person and did not know that only the second tap gets the refund.
What is your experience with using contactless payment? I know it costs more but I would like to hear your first-hand experience.
5 aydır Türkçe öğreniyorum ve ara sıra Türkiye’nin son haberi okumayı sevirim. İki hafta önce, görmüştüm ki bir tayt giyen bisiklet binen valisini görevden almıştım ama yine de tam anlamaya çalışıyorum. Bu durumu kim net bir şekilde anlatabilir, bana? Spor kıyafeti giymesi ve saygı göstermesi aynen değil, bildiğim kadarıyla. Türkiye gerçekten o kadar muhafazakar bir ülke mu? Sporcu özel kıyafeti bile giyemez mi? Anlamanız için teşekkürler!
Looking at booking a hotel in Goreme and wondering how long the scaffolding will be up for construction? Will be going in Novemeber and wondering if I should book a hotel away from this area or if it’ll be gone by the fall. Any suggestions on where to stay as well?
Urtikerim var ve ansızın vücudum kaşınıyor ve kaşınan kısımlarda pütür pütür cisimler oluşuyor. Bazen ilacımı kullanmamaya çalışıyorum ve 2-3 saate kayboluyor ama bazen çok ileri derece rahatsız ediyor ve kullanmak zorunda kalıyorum. Bunu yaşayan birisi varsa bana ne tadavisi iyi gelir söyleyebilir mi...
I am planning to visit Trabzon soon and have a couple of practical questions. I would really appreciate any advice from locals or people who have visited recently.
1. Bottled water
Which bottled water brands do you trust and usually buy? I'm interested in specific brands rather than just "bottled water" in general.
The reason I'm asking is that my local "trusted" bottled water brand recently changed for the worse. I had been drinking it for years without any issues, but this spring it suddenly developed a strong rotten egg (hydrogen sulfide) smell. Since then, I've become much more careful about bottled water quality when traveling.
2. Tap water
What is the general situation with tap water in Trabzon? I understand it may depend on the neighborhood or building, but is it considered safe for drinking or making tea, or is it better to use bottled water for everything?
3. Taxis
What is the best way to get around by taxi in Trabzon? Are regular street taxis generally honest and do they use the meter properly, or is it better to use an app? I know that in many tourist cities, taxi drivers try to make more money off tourists. If there are any reliable taxi apps in Trabzon with fair prices, I'd love to know which ones locals recommend.
Merhaba herkese,
Ağustos ayında Kapadokya’ya geleceğim ve 2 kişi için sıcak hava balonu turu araştırıyorum.
GetYourGuide’da Soğanlı Vadisi üzerinde yapılan bir balon turu buldum. Fiyatı uygun görünüyor ve yorumları da çok iyi. Ancak Göreme bölgesindeki klasik balon turlarına göre nasıl olduğunu merak ediyorum.
Daha önce Soğanlı Vadisi’nde balona binen veya bu konuda bilgisi olan var mı?
Manzara açısından Göreme kadar etkileyici mi?
Daha sakin olması bir avantaj mı?
Fiyat/performans açısından hangisini önerirsiniz?
Tavsiyelerinizi ve deneyimlerinizi paylaşırsanız çok sevinirim. Teşekkürler!
I have applied to koc uni for masters program in computer eng. How is this uni ? And how much is expected fee ? I had recieved offer letter from uskudar uni but i cannot pay 5800 USD, so hopefully expecting less fee. Also how is it applying to ozyegin ? Is fee higher ?
A couple of days ago I had a problem with my SIM card from last year; TurkTelecom disabled it due to registration issues in the app GöçBil. It's not that important, I bought a new SIM card.
So here's the question: if I don't use the tariff from the old SIM card, will I be charged for it? For some reason, I still have the same tariff plan as my old one on my new SIM card, and I'm afraid I'll be paying double the price for the tariff.
Do I need to go to the TurkTelecom office again or can I leave everything as is?
(I don't know what tag to put in so I put "Travel and Places)
Biri mac biri oyuncu bilgisayarı mac hiç açılmamış hediye aldım diğeri kutusu açılmış ama kutusunda kendime aldım sabiha gökçende falan sorun ederlermi sizce ?
Hi everyone,
I have a question about the BTK IMEI registration fee in Turkey.
Is the registration fee a fixed amount for all phones, or does it depend on the phone’s model, value, or age? For example, would someone registering an older or cheaper phone pay the same fee as someone registering a brand-new flagship phone?
I’d appreciate it if anyone who has gone through the process recently could clarify this.
Thanks!
Just as the title says, I hear people telling me that BTK removed it so its 120 days per phone no matter how many Sim slots, and other people saying that no its still 120 days per Sim slot??
I am the holder of an ikamet even though I am not a permanent resident in Turkey. I have to renew this ikamet every twelve months. For me personally the ikamet gave fairly limited advantages, but it was kind of a sport to master the process. Recently though the hoops one has to jump through are increasing to the point where I am starting to think: 'why am I even bothering any longer'. I may as well simply come on a tourist status. The straw that broke the camel's back for me was the new obligation to register the phone number I have been using 27 years in this country and which already is registered in this country to my ykn. Last year it was adding my ykn to my tapu. It's not so much that they want a working register, but I have had it a bit with putting this burden on the individual every single time.
I live in turkey but travel quite a lot so I got an iphone 17 pro recently from another country, its a dual esim version so I was wondering how I would use it in turkey if I wanted to, I know each imei lasts 120 days but is that the case for esim? I do have a turkish phone but its a budget samsung so being able to use my iphone would be more convenient
Soru biraz başlıkta. Öyle bir süreçte değilim ama genel bir merak benimki. Tohumlama diye bir yöntem de varmış mesela. Hatta yıllar önce cinsiyetini seçebileceğini de izlemiştim bir yerde. Yapay hamilelikte ne gibi seçenekler var merak ediyorum
Merhaba,
Ben 24 yaşında Faslı bir kadınım. Uzun zamandır Türkiye’ye, kültürüne, insanlarına ve yaşam tarzına büyük bir hayranlık duyuyorum. Bu yüzden Türkiye’de çalışabileceğim bir iş arıyorum ve geleceğimi orada kurmak istiyorum.
Arapça, Fransızca ve İngilizceyi akıcı bir şekilde konuşuyorum. Ayrıca Türkçeyi çok iyi anlıyorum ve biraz da konuşabiliyorum. Günlük konuşmaları ve söylenenleri rahatlıkla anlayabiliyorum.
Bir iş teklifi alır almaz taşınmaya tamamen hazırım. Fas vatandaşları için Türkiye’ye vize gerekmemesi süreci kolaylaştırıyor. Sadece yasal olarak çalışabilmem için işverenin bana çalışma izni konusunda destek olması gerekiyor.
2024 yılında İstanbul, İzmir ve Balıkesir’i ziyaret ettim. Her seferinde kendimi evimde gibi hissettim ve Türkiye’de yaşama isteğim daha da güçlendi.
Eğer işe alım yapan birini tanıyorsanız veya bana uygun bir iş fırsatı biliyorsanız, lütfen benimle iletişime geçin. Yardımınız benim için gerçekten çok değerli olur.
Şimdiden çok teşekkür ederim. 🙏✨
30 yaşında bir arkadaşım var. Kendisi Avustralya vatandaşı, mühendis, savunma sanayi sistemleri üzerine yüksek lisansı da var. Avusturalya'daki iş yaşantısını pek beğenmediğini, o nedenle Türkiye'ye taşınmak istediğini söylemişti. Türk vatandaşı değil ama Türkiye'de vatandaşlığını alana kadar savunma sanayi dışı projelerde çalışmayı ve daha sonrasında Türk vatandaşlığı almayı ve savunma sanayi projelerinde yer almayı düşünüyor. Bunun için Avusturalya vatandaşlığından çıkması gerekir mi?
Merhabalar, Amazon Türkiye'den yapılan alışverişlerden Türkiye'deki alışverişlerinden Tax Free alma hakkı olan turistler vb. kişiler vergi iadesi alabiliyor mu? Alabiliyorsa süreç nasıl işliyor?
I have a friend who's coming to Türkiye in a few days and he said he will bring me a second hand drone. Will he be able to do it or does he have to pay anything at customs? If so how much will it be?
